I need some help!!!

[Judyjean1831]

I have 2 issues and need some input.
#1--- I have a hen who just seems weak. Not sick so much as just weak. She still eats, drinks, and poops normally. She just walks a few steps then sits down like she has no energy. Any ideas? No sign of worms, have given her electrolytes, and probiotics, have massaged her crop, and soaked her in warm water in case she was egg bound. She didn't seem egg bound and her crop seemed fine, she didn't vomit. What else should I do for her?

#2--I have 6 hens, including the under-the-weather one. None of our hens have laid an egg in a month. One just started molting, but only a few days ago. So far I have: given them cat food to supplement their protein, all have gotten pro-biotics and electrolytes, they have oyster shell, they have fresh water changed regularly, they get to get out and forage at least 4-5 days a week but usually in the afternoon. I put golf balls in their nesting boxes (2) thinking a snake had been eating them, but the balls sat there for 3 weeks. I even changed their food thinking they were missing something. They get kitchen scraps (squash seeds, bread, grapes, tomatoes, etc.) What am I not doing?!? What is wrong?!?

 

[Judy]

There are any number of possibilities.

If they are over a year and you have never given a commercial wormer you could start with that. I would recommend ordering Roosrer Booster from My Pet Chicken, here. You won't be able to see most worms in the poop. You could also tke a poop sample to your vety and see if he will do a smear, though not finding worms in such a smear is not proof they aren't present. They are particulsrly likely to be present if it has been warm and moist where you live.

It's also possible the have cocci which is treated with Corid from your local feed store, although they really don't sound sick enough to me for it to be cocci.

There are several other illnesses - but I am not a veterinarian. The thing about worming them is, many people worm their flocks routinely, often once a year -- and worms are pretty much universally present in the soil. so it's not a matter of whether they have any but rather of how many, and whether they can tolertae their particular load of worms.

Good luckk